Sodbuster Jr, with chrome vanadium blades.
http://www.wrcase.com/knives/pocket...Family='Yellow Handle'&Folding='1'&Item='0032'
-Chrome Vanadium will allow you to be in tune with the stones and allow for easier sharpening , in my opinion and experience.
The truth is, this CV sometimes only needs to be stropped.
One that edge is sharp, and if not used heavily, or abused, some times just stropping on the back of a legal pad, or a old belt, will bring it back.
My take is sometimes folks remove too much metal because a knife does not need to be sharpened that much ( to that degree).
In learning, often times one "goes past" an already sharpened edge in sharpening.
Just a learning curve, still they had it, went "one more time" and have to get this edge again.
The may "miss it" a half dozen times, removing more metal each "re-start".
Then with practice and doing, it does not take long at all, they have gotten the touch and feel and they know what it takes to get an edge and do so without removing too much metal and taking a lot of time or effort.
-SAK Bantam is a very good knife!
Honestly, it is one of the best values for the money, for a knife that most only really need.
Main Spear blade for cutting and the combo bottle cap/can opener really works, plus the wire stripper.
This knife pocket carries well and handles chores other bigger SAKs do, without the weight and bulk.
The SAK steel is very good, still being honest I am not a big fan of stainless steels.
These sharpen fine on a Ark or Norton stone, many folks just use small Rapela "V" sharpener.
Red is fine, and the Gray has the coarse and fine.
-Learning to sharpen freehand:
I recommend a Old Hickory paring knife, the small one for about $4 at the hardware store.
1095 Carbon Steel and one can learn a lot about sharpening with this knife.
Carbon Steel and CV are easy to sharpen on AR and Norton stones.
Some stainless ( non carbon steel or cv) are not as receptive to being sharpened on these stones.
Hence other sharpening stones such as Japanese or systems such as sharpmaker are recommended.
My take is learn the correct basic fundamentals with a OH paring knife.
One can get a very very sharp edge with simple stones once the correct basics are learned, and just stropping it.
These skills transition to other metals and other stones.
The Tourist will chime in I hope.
Now he is a Professional Sharpener and his customers use the other steels, he uses Japanese water stones, various pastes and all.
He and I are the same page.
I recently sharpened a Bantam, a Pocket Pal, a Case Sod Jr with CV and a 6" Old Hickory Butcher knife.
[The Tourist is going to cringe and laugh, I just know it]
I used a 4" Norton Crystalon coarse/fine stone.
Best I recall this fine side is about 260, 280 grit? ( dunno)
I do this with a dry stone, no water, no oil, nothing.
Freehand.
Now these knives had been used hard, abused a bit, due to recent storms.
So I had some serious sharpening to do, starting with the coarse side.
I finished with fine side and these were extremely sharp!
I hit a quick lick on the back of a legal pad to strop, nothing on the pad, just the cardboard.
Very sharp!
Normally I don't , still with these needing attention, and all they had been through, I got the Happich Semichrome and applied to the legal pad.
That edge, was polished!
I used magnification to check all along the edge.
Now I stopped at the Fine , about 280 grit, still that edge was sharp, and being polished even more sharp.
Tasks are general purpose, and these knives handle these tasks from cutting rope, cardboard, food prep and whittling.
I will share
I can get a more acute angle on Carbon or CV than I can SAK stainless, and other Stainless used by Buck, Case, Spyderco, and others.
My skill sets with how I sharpen and stones I use freehand.
The Tourist can take what I do, and improve on it.
I admit this, and just know he can, and we have never met.
Sharp is for the task, and my take is, some folks do not need the sharp they think they need for their task.
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